Ubiquity Bullet M2 vs PepLink Max BR1 Mini. Wan WiFi

[dtfeld]

SO.....

I reset the peplink

then looked at the video THANK YOU

Then realized I was clicking the wrong part of the screen to slide the option to the correct position

Now I have internet WHEEE! But not certain It' s set up the best way

Screenshot attempt here:

View attachment 138077

Your house Wi-Fi is likely not split into separate distinct 2.4/5.0 GHz Wi-Fi networks, and maybe set up to preference the 5.0 GHz over the 2.4 GHz band. This is good if you have a bunch of newer phones/electronics around the house as the 5 GHz band might be preferable for those devices. You’ll have to read up on you house router to see if you can split them out.

However, as pointed out, the 2.4 GHz band gets you longer range and may be preferable for reaching your boat. You’ll have to try both (speed test is a good way) to see if one works better than the other.

However, you have internet to the boat, so All is Good!!

 

[techmitch]

Your house Wi-Fi is likely not split into separate distinct 2.4/5.0 GHz Wi-Fi networks, and maybe set up to preference the 5.0 GHz over the 2.4 GHz band. This is good if you have a bunch of newer phones/electronics around the house as the 5 GHz band might be preferable for those devices. You’ll have to read up on you house router to see if you can split them out.

However, as pointed out, the 2.4 GHz band gets you longer range and may be preferable for reaching your boat. You’ll have to try both (speed test is a good way) to see if one works better than the other.

However, you have internet to the boat, so All is Good!!

Ring and Nest/Google Home/Alexa and most others of the like, I'll have to bet, all prefer the 2.4?

 

[dtfeld]

As far as antennas, the paddle antennas that came with the unit are higher gain than the aftermarket one you purchased. If you only have one of them, skip it, you will have worse performance.

Getting the right antenna(s)…(you may need more than one depending on the form factor your going with), is the next rabbit hole in this project. But just like a VHF antenna, generally speaking, higher up on the boat, with the correct gain will get you better performance.

 

[dtfeld]

Ring and Nest/Google Home/Alexa and most others of the like, I'll have to bet, all prefer the 2.4?

Depends on the device. Most IoT things (cameras, thermometers etc) are 2.4 only. Hence the reason to separate the 2.4/5.0 Wi-Fi out. It allows those devices that are capable/need the bandwidth to be on the a less crowded 5.0 signal. My house has a separate IoT network (wired and wireless) network to segregate those things out, primarily for security reasons…they can phone home to mother Google, but can not access other parts of my network.

 

[Maybe A Dancer]

TV & BlueRay hooked up and talking

Next step is the Fusion and then the addition of the Simplisafe.

It's all a bit different than my DOS 3.1 mentality and I do appreciate y'all helping me out yesterday.

BEST !

RWS

 

[GnrlPatton]

I've been trying to solve this for a while now with no luck, so thought I'd ask here. I have the instructions to connect the PepLink to a captive portal (xfinitywifi in my case), but my problem is I can't even see the network in my list of WiFi networks to be able connect to it. I have it as a network on my phone, with 4 bars and a speedtest of 26/10 when connected. It just refuses to show up as an option on the PepLink. Anyone have ideas? I've tried adding it as a profile in the WiFi details page, but nothing I've tried works.

 

[Skybolt]

I've been trying to solve this for a while now with no luck, so thought I'd ask here. I have the instructions to connect the PepLink to a captive portal (xfinitywifi in my case), but my problem is I can't even see the network in my list of WiFi networks to be able connect to it. I have it as a network on my phone, with 4 bars and a speedtest of 26/10 when connected. It just refuses to show up as an option on the PepLink. Anyone have ideas? I've tried adding it as a profile in the WiFi details page, but nothing I've tried works.

My guess is that it is 5Ghz WiFi and you have a Max BR1 which is solely 2.4Ghz and why you can't see it in your list.

Which Peplink do you have?

 

[alnav]

I've been trying to solve this for a while now with no luck, so thought I'd ask here. I have the instructions to connect the PepLink to a captive portal (xfinitywifi in my case), but my problem is I can't even see the network in my list of WiFi networks to be able connect to it. I have it as a network on my phone, with 4 bars and a speedtest of 26/10 when connected. It just refuses to show up as an option on the PepLink. Anyone have ideas? I've tried adding it as a profile in the WiFi details page, but nothing I've tried works.

Did you try disabling Health Check? I believe it's on the "Details" menu of the WAN connection.

 

[Maybe A Dancer]

TV & BlueRay hooked up and talking

Next step is the Fusion and then the addition of the Simplisafe.

It's all a bit different than my DOS 3.1 mentality and I do appreciate y'all helping me out yesterday.

BEST !

RWS

============================

We're at a transient marina now

speedtests running computers through the peplink and directly to the dock WIFI are comparable, and show:

download = 17 - 25 MBS

upload 4.2 - 6.6 mbs

the speed test says these speeds are good for multiple devices


that said, paying a bill on the laptop was extremely slow this morning, and any attemots to download netflix through the peplink system result in a spinning icon.

When attempting Netflix, I'm in a loop that says :

NETFLIX HAS ENCOUNTERED AN ERROR, RETRYING AGAIN IN X SECONDS

e-mail to phone with attachments or links are not working

Any suggestions for this DOS 3.1 guy on peplink settings ?

BEST !

RWS

 

[dtfeld]

============================

We're at a transient marina now

speedtests running computers through the peplink and directly to the dock WIFI are comparable, and show:

download = 17 - 25 MBS

upload 4.2 - 6.6 mbs

the speed test says these speeds are good for multiple devices


that said, paying a bill on the laptop was extremely slow this morning, and any attemots to download netflix through the peplink system result in a spinning icon.

e-mail to phone with attachments or links are not working

Any suggestions for this DOS 3.1 guy on peplink settings ?

BEST !

RWS

Unfortunately, that may be all you get from the marina's access points. Two things could be limiting your speeds that unfortunately you cant do much about.

1. If you're in a big marina, you could be competing for bandwidth with everybody else trying to do the same thing you are (watch TV), and there just isn't enough bandwidth to do it or do it well. This would be especially problematic if their wifi is "free", or if there are a lot of live aboards in that marina.

2. Their network admins might be limiting the amount of bandwidth you are allocated. This is to prevent overloading their network system, and get everybody a little bit of bandwidth. Seems like they might have you throttled to 25Mbps down and 10Mbps up.

Both of these were issues at my home marina. The issue was most pronounced on busy sports week-ends when, as the ability to stream TV was impossible. The solution was to buy some equipment from the marinas wifi vendor to get better, faster access. Unfortunately, this only worked when in the slip at my home marina.

This is the reason I ended up going with the Peplink cellular router. It allows me to do about whatever I need any where I take the boat. I am on an inland lake, so I have good cellular coverage, but if heading further afield, then the Starlink access tends to be a better deal, but has its own limitations (doesnt work well in a covered slip).

 

[dtfeld]

One other variable that you can somewhat control would be your proximity to the marina's access point, and where your Wifi antennas are located. The closer the antennas and the clearer the path between, the better reception you might get.

If your peplink is down in the cabin, that also might be an issue. Move it up on deck somewhere and se if that helps.

 

[Skybolt]

... Any suggestions for this DOS 3.1 guy on peplink settings ? ...

Your upload speed and ping (latency) will depict what your download speed will be. Your download speed will be limited to your download speed, but it is how fast your device can acknowledge the received packet that your speed is really determined.

Most marina wifi when other people are also trying to do the same thing you are, is when latency goes up and connection issues are an issue. In short that is not uncommon at marina's and why this thread exists and also why cellular is often the best option so you have your own dedicated link.

But I think you also did not install an external antenna? If not that will help with latency and reduce packet retries.

I have to ask this, you actually mean Windows 3.1 and not DOS, right?

 

[GnrlPatton]

My guess is that it is 5Ghz WiFi and you have a Max BR1 which is solely 2.4Ghz and why you can't see it in your list.

Which Peplink do you have?

Yep, Max BR1. That's a bummer, looks like I will need to upgrade.

 

[GnrlPatton]

Did you try disabling Health Check? I believe it's on the "Details" menu of the WAN connection.

Yeah, I did try that, no dice. I think it is likely the 2.4GHz/5GHz thing that Orlando mentioned. I'll have to check with xfinity to confirm that.

 

[Skybolt]

... I'll have to check with xfinity to confirm that.

If your cell is 5G inspect what the connection is connected as. Also try a laptop and see what that says the connection is. Might find the answer more quickly.

 

[Maybe A Dancer]

Your upload speed and ping (latency) will depict what your download speed will be. Your download speed will be limited to your download speed, but it is how fast your device can acknowledge the received packet that your speed is really determined.

Most marina wifi when other people are also trying to do the same thing you are, is when latency goes up and connection issues are an issue. In short that is not uncommon at marina's and why this thread exists and also why cellular is often the best option so you have your own dedicated link.

But I think you also did not install an external antenna? If not that will help with latency and reduce packet retries.

I have to ask this, you actually mean Windows 3.1 and not DOS, right?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

actually MS DOS 3.1

 

[Skybolt]

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

actually MS DOS 3.1

Now that's funny!

 

[bajturner]

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

actually MS DOS 3.1

You missed-out on all the great features of MS-DOS 4, 5, and 6!!

 

[bajturner]

============================

We're at a transient marina now

speedtests running computers through the peplink and directly to the dock WIFI are comparable, and show:

download = 17 - 25 MBS

upload 4.2 - 6.6 mbs

the speed test says these speeds are good for multiple devices


that said, paying a bill on the laptop was extremely slow this morning, and any attemots to download netflix through the peplink system result in a spinning icon.

When attempting Netflix, I'm in a loop that says :

NETFLIX HAS ENCOUNTERED AN ERROR, RETRYING AGAIN IN X SECONDS

e-mail to phone with attachments or links are not working

Any suggestions for this DOS 3.1 guy on peplink settings ?

BEST !

RWS

There is quite a bit you can do with traffic prioritization rules to optimize your bandwidth. I had a PL consultant assist in setting up the configuration. I don't remember the process well enough to describe it without being logged-in to the router, and that will have to wait until the spring!

I do have a SpeedFusion license, but I think it was just required for WAN bonding over the VPN, not the traffic rules.

 

[Skybolt]

There is quite a bit you can do with traffic prioritization rules to optimize your bandwidth. I had a PL consultant assist in setting up the configuration. I don't remember the process well enough to describe it without being logged-in to the router, and that will have to wait until the spring!

I do have a SpeedFusion license, but I think it was just required for WAN bonding over the VPN, not the traffic rules.

You can get InControl 2 as well, that will allow you to manage the PL remotely. It's free for the first year of registration and ~$30/yr after that. Works really well.